Elite Dangerous: Gemini
by The Pendragon Compendium
Summary: After serving his time in the Federation Navy as a distinguished officer, Leon Caelum decided to live his life like so many others: Out in the black with a ship of his own. After so many years and so many battles, Leon never would have guessed that the biggest fight of his life would have started when he and an Imperial Princess were on the same station.
1. Prologue

**Elite Dangerous: Gemini**

 **Prologue**

 **July 17th, 3301 A.D**

 **Morgor System**

The sound of raw, rocky Painite clunking into the cargo scoop reverberated in the ship's bridge, though it could just barely be called that with a single seat, missing panels and exposed wires everywhere. Still, to Leon, it was home. Long gone were the days of standing on the bridge of a Federal Corvette, receiving orders to board enemy ships or hop in an F63 Condor and give the mothership some breathing room.

Now he was like any other regular pilot out in the black, with a regular ship and an immense amount of freedom. He smiled to himself as he pulled his Diamondback Explorer out of the asteroid field, having taken a fair amount of Painite from his very own secret mining spot. His Cargo Bay at maximum capacity meant he'd be earning a hefty amount this time around.

Nobody else had seemed to know about this spot of his. Granted, it was nearly 200,000ls away from the main star, so that helped quite a bit. Not many people were willing to travel that far in-system, especially when it was an Anarchy, low-security system, where anyone could attack anyone else and not face any consequences other than immediate reprisal.

" _Scan Detected"_ The ship's onboard computer said.

Leon's eyes widened as he looked around for the ship that was scanning him, chastising himself at not paying close enough attention. Then, he saw the ship and realized why he didn't see it before.

It was a blacked-out Vulture which had just appeared on his sensors. Vultures highly specialized ships meant for one thing only: Combat. They were incredibly agile which meant that they could easily out-maneuver most other ships and lay into them with their two large hardpoints. It was a serious threat to almost any ship.

 _'Give me all of your cargo if you want to live'_ Read a text-only message coming from the Vulture. Leon grit his teeth, knowing that he was in for trouble even if he handed over the Painite. The Vulture was named **Hydra** , which meant it was just one ship from a fairly large pirating group known by the same name. If he fought back, it wouldn't be long until they placed a black-market bounty on his head. If he handed it over, there was 50/50 chance they'd try to capture his ship to sell it off and enslave him. However, Leon was never able to adapt to that part of the Pilot lifestyle. He spent half of his career fighting pirates and the like, so to bow to them was out of the question.

 _'You have 15 seconds to comply'_ Came a second message, following by a warning from the ship's computer that the Vulture had deployed its hardpoints. Further investigation on the left holo-screen told him that they were two gimballed cannons. Leon smirked, realizing he had a way out.

* * *

"Ground crew dispatched. Welcome back, Commander."

Leon sighed. The fight with the Vulture was easy enough thanks to his two Chaff utility mounts, but that meant it was only a matter of time before they found him, and next time they would be shooting first and demanding cargo later.

Leon disembarked his Diamondback Explorer to oversee the ground crew when he noticed a group of them staring at a docked Anaconda on the pad adjacent to him, talking to themselves. As he approached, he heard what had them so riled up.

"An Imperial Princess, on this station?! Why?"

"She's in an Anaconda too, not one of those Clippers or Cutters. The men she had guarding her didn't seem like any Imperial Knights I've ever seen, either. More like Mercenaries or something."

"Look, there she is!" One of them said, pointing.

Leon looked to where they were pointing and saw a young girl with crimson hair dressed in red and white. By the looks of her she wasn't any older than 15, but in the Empire age meant little to people in power. Surrounding her were grizzled older men, each one with various weapons in their hands. To the eyes of an outsider, this meant the Princess had hired these men to escort her to avoid drawing the attention half a fleet worth of Imperial Warships would. However, to Leon it seemed like something different.

" _I'll take 'Mercenaries or something' for 500, Alex."_ Leon mumbled to himself. Still, there wasn't anything he could do, and it wasn't really his business anyways. Especially with **Fool's Gold** , his ship, low on ammo and outfitted for mining.

Leon went about instructing the ground crew and returned to his ship to go over his profits.

He felt bad for turning his back on such a situation, but there wasn't much he could do even if he wanted to help. All the chaff in the galaxy wouldn't be enough for a prolonged battle with an Anaconda. His ship was faster and more nimble, but the amount of firepower an Anaconda brought to the table meant even the slightest error would doom them both. He could possibly take the girl and run, but that would just put him on yet another black-market bounty board, this time with a much higher price.

Imperial royalty were extremely valuable as hostages. The Empire would always pay up, even if the royalty in question was disgraced. They wanted to keep their bloodlines pure, after all. Very few times would a captured noble not be offered up as some kind of leverage, and even fewer would the Empire fail in seeing their royalty returned to them.

Though the Empire would likely be willing to reward him if he managed to bring her home, he knew the likelihood of her being returned was fairly high anyways. She'd just have to endure it for a while longer.

* * *

The sound of the cargo scoop opening woke Leon up. Jumping out of his bed and grabbing his side-arm, he began clearing his ship. _'If Hydra's best idea is to board my ship while on a station, maybe I overestimated them.'_ He thought, making his way to the cargo bay. Leon thought it was strange that the ships onboard computer hadn't alerted him, but put that aside for the time being.

Leon opened the door to the cargo bay ready to fire and went in only to find that a box of MREs had been broken into and several were littered on the floor, some partially opened and consumed. He followed the trail to a utility closet door.

"Alright, I know you're in there. Open the door slowly or I'll undock, leave the station, and vent this entire cargobay." He said, threatening with the cold, unforgiving vacuum of space. He heard a small gasp before a response.

"I- I'll open the door. Please don't shoot." A small, fragile-sounding voice said. True to their word, the door unlocked from the inside and opened slowly, revealing a small figure covered in a tattered, brown cloak that seemed to be put together from a burlap sack. They were clutching the remains of an MRE tightly, as if he would snatch it away from them. He couldn't see their face since it was obscured by the makeshift hood.

Leon sighed and lowered his weapon. "Alright, let's start with some easy questions. Who are you and why are you on my ship?"

"I'm just a stowaway, sir. I was hoping to get off this station in your cargo bay."

"You picked a bad ship, then. I depressurize the cargo bay when I'm out in the black to save power. On top of that, I'm pretty sure I pissed off a local Pirate outfit, so it's not exactly going to be safe flying for me. Why do you want to leave the station so badly?"

It took the cloaked figure a moment to answer. "I'm homeless here. Nobody will hire someone like me. I thought that if I made it to an Imperial station, I could sell myself into slavery."

That made sense in a certain way to Leon. Imperial slaves were treated fairly well despite the name and were almost always in demand. However, it only made sense to someone who knew the detailed inter-workings of the Imperial caste system. To anyone else, Imperial slavery was just as bad as the Colonial Era on Earth.

"That might make sense if this was anywhere near Imperial space, but you're a good ways away from that. You obviously know a fair amount about Imperials, but you're here in Federation space. Judging by your size you're a child, so you're either a regretful refugee or an Imperial spy, so which is it?" Imperials had been using children as spies for hundreds of years, and it had been a relatively strong tactic.

Leon, wanting the truth this time, didn't give his stowaway a chance to concoct another lie, choosing to reach forward and pull off their hood to reveal their face. What he saw shocked him. Underneath the tattered cloak was a young girl with crimson-red hair. The very same Imperial Princess he had seen before.

"You're that Princess that was with those Mercenaries."

The girl in question opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by the ship's onboard AI. "Commander, urgent video message received."

Leon blinked. "Play message at the nearest video terminal." He said, leaving the girl in the utility closet and walking over to the nearby screen. On it was a group of three men, each with a rifle in hand. The video was obviously recorded by the camera at the rear door of his ship. The video began playing as the girl walked up behind Leon.

" _Excuse the interruption Pilot, but a valuable asset of ours might've gotten onto your ship. We'd appreciate it if you would give us the chance to search for it."_

Leon closed the video, instead bringing up the real-time rear camera to see the men waiting there, decked out for a war with body armor, rifles, and various other combat-oriented equipment. He looked to the girl beside him. She looked both angry and scared.

"Not your escorts, I take it?"

She shook her head. "Kidnappers. I was on my way to an important event when my shuttle was interdicted. I had just barely gotten into the lifepod before they jettisoned it. Nearly half of everyone I knew was on that ship." Her eyes began to water, but Leon could clearly see she was trying to stay strong. "Our escorts were too late. By the time they were within firing range, the ship had scooped up the lifepod and entered Supercruise."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm going to have to let them search the ship. Otherwise they'll just chase us down." He grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the living quarters of his ship.

Leon quickly opens a door and shoves her through it before she can react. The girl lets out a yelp of surprise when she begins getting blasted with warm water before realizing she's in his ship's shower.

"I'm going to lock this door. Unless I announce myself, shoot anyone who opens the door." He said, shoving his pistol in the girl's hand.

Leon closes the door, deciding to grab one last thing before letting the men outside search his ship.

* * *

"Sorry to keep you gentlemen waiting. Please, come inside." Leon said, beckoning the men towards the boarding stairs. The men shared a look before doing so, all three of them ensuring that their weapons were loaded and the safety was off. Leon was quick to follow them inside.

"So, who's this asset of yours? Some big-shot pirate lord you guys caught?"

The man Leon assumed was the leader looked back, answering the question. "Pirate Lord's daughter, actually. We're planning on having him give himself up in exchange for her safety."

Leon nodded, playing along. "So that whole stereotype about pirates having soft spots for their daughters is true, then. He must have a pretty high price on his head. Probably about ten million?"

The leader laughed. "Hah! I wish." He stopped at a door, hearing running water behind it.

"My wife is in there. I was about to join her when I got your message." Leon said, remaining calm.

The leader looked to Leon, sizing him up before responding. "Understandable. Still, I have to check every place to be sure." He said, his hand reaching for the door handle.

Inside the shower, the Princess cowered in the corner on the floor with the gun she had been given aimed at the door, finger ready to pull the trigger at any time. She heard a thump, a scream, and then a small burst of gunfire, causing her to cover her ears at the amplified sound. Still, she heard some struggling and a bit of yelling before everything fell silent again. Then, a knocking at the door made her flinch.

"It's me. I'm going to open the door now. Don't shoot." Leon said, slowly opening the door to avoid startling the girl. However, what startled her was his appearance. He was covered in blood. Absolutely drenched in it, like she was with water. She flinched again when he crouched down after turning off the water.

"It's okay. They can't hurt you anymore, but we need to leave the station. It won't be long before their scheduled check-in time."

It was then she noticed he didn't get out of that fight cleanly, a single gunshot wound on his left arm.

"You're hurt."

Leon cocked his head before looking down at his newest wound. "This? This is nothing to worry about. Come on, I've got some dry clothes that might fit you."

In addition to his injury, she noticed that he held something that she had only seen once before: An Imperial Nanoblade Sword. Incredibly rare and more expensive than some of the more expensive ships in the galaxy. A total of ten were said to have been made and handed out by the very first Emperor, given to his most-trusted Knights who guarded him day and night, no matter where he was. She blinked when she saw the blade retract inward into the hilt with the push of a button in an incredibly smooth fashion. It was obvious to her that it was well taken-care of.

Leon could feel her eyes on the sword, his most prized possession, as he guided her to the drawer where he kept his clothes. "I take it you know what this is, huh?" She nodded, but said nothing, obviously wanting to know how someone like _him_ ended up with it. "It belonged to my Mother, and my Grandmother before that. I ended up with it when she passed away."

He laid out some clothes for her and gave her some privacy to change, choosing to prepare to leave the system. He thought about making a beeline for Imperial space, but decided against it. There was no telling how long they had before they were found out. Their best bet would be to take it slow and steady, without arousing suspicion. Hearing bare feet on the floor behind him, he turned around only to choke back a laugh.

The Imperial Princess looked at him with a pout and blush on her face from embarrassment, standing behind him in clothes that were not only meant for a man, but a large man at that. She had cleverly tied the excess materials together in such a way that ensured they wouldn't fall off of her, but that did nothing to prevent her from looking like she was drowning in his spare clothes.

"Sorry. I guess you're even smaller than you look."

"Small?! You're a _giant._ Of course your clothes wouldn't fit properly!"

Despite the several past minutes, they both let out loud, genuine laughs. They were practically polar opposites in so many ways.

"Say Princess, what's your name, anyways?"

"Eridani. Eridani Duval." She said, holding out her hand.

Leon clasped her hand firmly, yet gently. "Nice to meet you, Eri. I'm Leon Caelum."

Leon turned back to the screen to his left, re-plotting their course. "Well, I suppose our first stop should be getting you some clothes that fit." He said, earning another laugh out of Imperial Princess.

 **Fool's Gold** shuddered as the landing gear disengaged from the surface of the landing pad, its engines roaring to life. Neither living occupant in that ship knew just how much of an impact they had made on each-others future, nor the trials that laid before them.

* * *

 **A/N: I bet this was a bit of a surprise to those of you who read my other stuff. It was pretty fun to write and I've got a decent amount of ideas of where I want this story to go. I hope you've enjoyed the prologue and stick around to see where ED: Gemini takes us.**


	2. I: The Dress

**Elite Dangerous: Gemini**

 **Chapter I: The Dress**

 **July 18th, 3301 A.D**

 **Payayan System**

Eridani Duval stood behind the pilot's chair on the **Fool's Gold** , watching as they approached Bierce Gateway. An unassuming Orbis starport to say the least, inelegant and dull looking, unlike many of the Imperial starports she was used to seeing. Still, various ships entered and exited the 'mailslot' of the starport, each having their own agenda, their own duty, and their own personal freedom that came with being a Commander.

"Bierce flight control, this is X-0-1, **Fool's Gold,** requesting docking permission." Leon said. Over the somewhat static-y speakers came the reply.

" _Rodger that, Commander. Proceed to landing pad 2-1. Welcome back, Leon."_

The controller's reply gave Eri pause. She'd never heard any member of any flight control address pilots, independent Commanders or otherwise, by their name. Not even her Grandfather's pilots were recognized.

"You've been here before?"

Leon turned to look at her, guiding the ship through the 'mailslot' without needing to look. He had a grin on his face. "This was my home base for a while before I found that painite-rich asteroid belt in Morgor. I've worked with nearly every faction that has come and gone from Bierce." His grin only widened as he saw panic start to arise in Eri's eyes as they drifted into the station without his eyes knowing where they were going. They were getting closer and closer to the buildings, ships, and pads below them.

"Y-you're going to-" Her sentence was cut short as the ship rocked forward a bit, the magnetic landing gear grabbing onto the landing pad beneath them. Eri looked up and saw the hologram projector showing a big '21' above the ship. She looked at him, and then back to the hologram. Over the speakers, a new voice came.

" _Ground crew dispatched. Welcome back, Leon."_

Leon let out a laugh, rustling her hair a bit. "Don't worry, Eri. I know what I'm doing."

Eri's cheeks shifted from a pale color to something more rosy, partly because of the contact, partly because of the embarrassment, and partly because of how he addressed her. Among Imperials, she was always 'Miss Duvual'. Even the pirates addressed her as such. It was her surname that made her valuable. Nobody outside of a select few seemed to care about her personally. Not enough to use her first name.

Of course, most would claim that it's out of respect, but again, that was respect to the _name._ Not her. Hearing this strange, giant of a man saying her name with such a casual, worry-free nature was.. refreshing. So far, he'd been better company than any of the bodyguards she had been assigned by leagues.

The moment was shattered when Eri's stomach growled.

He stood to his full height again, remind her just how different in size they were, offering his hand to her with a genuine smile on his face. "Come on. Let's get some real food in you before we get you a proper dress."

Eri blushed again.

* * *

Bierce Gateway had housing, shops, warehouses, and various other things one could expect to find in a starport. Indeed, in that way Bierce and the Imperial starports she was used to visiting were similar, but that is where the similarities ended.

Bierce had a strange, metallic smell to it. It permeated the air that was pumped and recycled through the system's ducts. It wasn't _dirty_ per-say, but it wasn't clean either. The streets were filled with people going from one place to another in a kind of hurried rush, but nobody seemed to be very unhappy about it.

Eri looked out of the window of the restaurant they were in, taking it all in. The smell of food easily fought back the metallic smell of the outside air, but it, too, was different from what she was used to. Instead of a gourmet establishment, it was a kind of ethnic diner. Something that was a bit of a novelty in this day and age. Then, the sound of plates hitting the table in front of them and the smell of the food brought her attention back to the present.

In front of them were two plates that were identical. She didn't know or understand the words on the menu, so Leon offered to order for her. Across from here was Leon, taking up over half of the small booth seat on his side with his large frame. He wasted no time, unrolling something from some kind of foil that looked similar to a crepe and stuffing it full of the plate's contents. Some kind of rice, some 're-fried' beans, and what looks to be sliced meat in a red-orange sauce. _'Pollo Chipotle'_ He said it was called.

Eri copied him, though more slowly. The smell of the food was getting to her. It was unlike anything she had ever eaten. The first bite, an entire new world of flavor exploded into being in her mouth and mind.

"Good, right?" Leon said. She didn't respond. She was too busy stuffing her face. This 'Mexican' food was amazing. She quickly ran out of what Leon had called 'tortillas', but there was still food left on the plate. She looked across to Leon's place to see he had mixed it all together. It didn't look very appetizing, but so long as the original flavors remained she knew it would be just as good. She copied him again, mixing the food and quickly scarfing it down in a very unladylike manner. She was aware of this, but she was too hungry and the food tasted too good for her to care.

Finally, plate empty, she set her fork down, and all that embarrassment she had pushed aside started rising up, reddening her cheeks. However, Leon simply smiled at her. "I've never seen someone out-pace me before, but since it's your first time trying anything like this I can understand."

* * *

After paying the bill for the food, Eri and Leon were on their way to their next errand: Getting her some proper clothes. As they walked through the station, the crowds got less dense, the air started smelling less, and the streets and buildings got cleaner. "Marie's place is in the nice part of the starport. She gets plenty of high-profile customers, so she should be able to whip something suitable up for you."

Eri said nothing. However, she had a feeling it wouldn't be anything like what an Imperial Princess would be expected to wear regardless of what this 'Marie' did for her clientele. She once had asked how much one of the dresses she had been wearing costed, and it was equated to be worth more than one of Gutamaya's Clippers. Not just anyone could make something worth so much, and she definitely wouldn't force Leon to spend that much on a piece of clothing. From his choice of ship, he didn't have that much money anyways. His Imperial Nanoblade may have been worth more than most ships, but he clearly treasured it too much to sell it. Still, she'd be happy just to have a set of clothes that fit.

They quickly reached their destination, coming to a stop at the front of a row of buildings, one of which had a sign attached to the exterior. 'Marie's Emporium' had several very nice looking dresses in the window. Though they weren't anywhere near as nice as what she was used to wearing, the quality did surprise Eri. Leon tugged her by the hand into the shop. It was filled with a pleasant, rose-like smell, classical music, and a welcoming atmosphere. At the counter sat a woman who had several tattoos and was dressed plainly. She had long, flowing black hair, ice blue eyes, and red lipstick.

" _Leon, so good to see you."_ Came a voice. But not from her lips. Her mouth remained closed, though a smile appeared. Instead, the voice came from her neck, where two micro-speakers were attached to her skin.

The woman came from behind the counter and gave Leon a hug, though the difference in size make it look quite comical. Releasing Leon, the woman then looked at Eri with a curious gaze. _"Who's the girl swimming in your clothes?"_ There was that voice again. It was almost perfectly human, but not quite. Eri found it strange. Was she unable to speak?

"She's the reason I'm visiting today. Can we talk about it over some tea?" Leon said. Instantly, the woman's eyes changed, and her smile disappeared. She nodded and pressed a button on a remote. Moments later, a short buzz could be heard for a few seconds before disappearing. The blinds of the shop's windows closed and the door could be heard sealing shut.

" _It's been a while since we used that phrase. You're lucky I still remember it."_ The woman's demeanor shifted nearly entirely. Though she still looked at Leon with that same friendliness she had before, her body language was much more intense and wound-up than any civilian could ever be.

"Lucky? Not at all. You hate tea." Leon said with a smile. He pulled Eri forward, presenting her to the woman. "Marie, meet Eri. Eridani Duval." His big, strong hands squeezed slightly upon the girl's small shoulders reassuringly.

" _Duval? She must be the girl that we've been hearing about over Gal-Net. They say her ship was destroyed and her body wasn't among the wreckage."_ The woman, Marie, said.

Leon nodded. "She managed to sneak onto my ship in Morgor. Hadn't eaten in days from the way she raided my MREs. Apparently some pretty well-armed Mercs were targeting her specifically when they interdicted her ship. I figured I might as well get her back to the Empire myself. None of the Imperial factions out here are very trustworthy these days."

Marie nodded, looking the girl over. She did match the description broadcast by Gal-Net. Other than the clothing, of course. The concluded her examination of Eri, turning towards Leon with a small smile on her face. _"That's a bit of a familiar story. Couldn't turn down a girl in need, huh Leon?"_

Leon shrugged. "I dunno. It's not like I go looking for situations like this. Anyway, as you can see she doesn't have any real clothes or a Remlok-capable flight suit. You know my budget."

Marie's micro-speakers let out what sounded like a small laugh. _"Indeed I do. So, what were you thinking?"_

Again, Leon shrugged. "I don't really know anything about Imperial fashion. Something that'll fit a Princess, and fit under a flight suit."

Eri was about to protest, knowing how much something like that would cost. However, Marie simply nodded and quickly went into the back room. Seconds later, machines could be heard and Leon guided her to a seating area.

"It won't take too long. She's the best this side of the bubble. Trust me."

His words didn't bring her any comfort, only further dread. Every credit spent on her was too much in her eyes. Something like this, especially if Marie was one of the best in the business, meant it wouldn't be cheap at all.

* * *

About an hour later, Marie walked out of the back room with a dress in hand. She approached Eri and unfolded it from her arms, showing off just what she had made. The dress was a sparkling, glittering crimson to match her hair with black accents. Without thinking about it, Eri's hand reached out and touched the fabric, finding it to be incredibly soft and silky. Eri looked up at Marie, not sure what to say. This dress was proof of Leon's words. She wasn't just the best this side of the bubble, though. Not even the finest dress Eri had ever worn came close to this.

Marie pushed it into Eri's small hands. _"Go on. The dressing room is right behind the counter."_

Leon let a small chuckle as Eri hurriedly went to the dressing room, an expression of awe on her face. "I think you'll have a new high-profile client after she gets home."

Marie leaned against the arm of the chair that Leon sat in, humming in agreement. This time, the sound came from not her micro-speakers, but from her throat. _"It's definitely the best I've ever made. If that doesn't hook a client, I don't know what will."_

"I'm guessing she's not going to need help putting it on?"

She nodded. _"I can't imagine she'd be too comfortable with you assisting her in or out of it even if you are her gallant knight in shining armor. You're just too big to not be intimidating."_ She joked, shoving his shoulder a little. Giving credit to her joke, instead of him rocking back, all she did was off-balance herself a bit. It was like trying to push a brick wall.

Leon simply nodded in agreement. He knew just how intimidating he could be. "I know. I remember when it was _you_ who tried to stow away on my ship, back when I was in the Navy. You were just this small, mute thing trying to get off of Delarin."

Marie nodded, remembering their first meeting. She'd been trying to escape a local warlord who'd been her captor for over a year when the Federation Navy assaulted his holdings on Delarin one day. In the chaos, she'd managed to escape, but there was nowhere left for her to return to, so she decided to hitch a ride on one of the Federation Dropships that had landed.

She had tried to stay hidden, but after the ship had left the planet she was found by Leon trying to sneak into the food storage. One of the biggest men she had ever seen, covered in dark combat armor. She would've tried to fight or run, but instead her entire body had frozen at the sight of him. She was simply too scared of what was going to happen. What she thought was going to happen, anyways.

Instead of hurting her, spacing her, or taking her back to a planet she no longer had a home on, he'd fed her, clothed her, and took care of her for almost half a year. He'd even gotten her some top-of-the-line thought to voice translating micro-speakers. The same ones she wore to this day. Since it was his own command, nobody could bring it up as a problem, and she found that the Federal Marines weren't so bad after all.

" _I remember."_ She said, smiling fondly. _"You always did have a soft spot for small, broken things."_

Leon shrugged. "I don't think you were broken then, and I don't think Eri is broken now. Just two girls who've had some bad luck."

Marie wanted to say something, but decided against it. Some things were better left unsaid, and some memories were better forgotten. However, their attention turned to the dressing room as the door opened and revealed Eri in the dress. She looked..

" _Beautiful."_ Marie said. It was the truth. Though she had a small frame, the dress hugged Eri in a way that showed she was definitely a young woman. Eri looked up at them, a small blush on her face as well as a bright smile.

"It's perfect. It's beautiful, comfortable, and it feels like it's a second skin almost." Eri said, twirling in the dress to show it off.

" _That's due to the pico-circuitry fibers and nano-weave exterior. It's designed to do that. As a bonus, it'll also stop most small-arms fire as well."_

Eri marveled at the technology packed into the dress she wore, splaying her fingers out and brushing the fabric. She couldn't feel anything other than what was supposed to be there. None of her Imperial dresses were anything like this. They were all technology-free, like much of the Empire.

Leon smiled, happy that Eri was happy. "So, the dress plus a flight suit. How much is that?"

Marie wanted to tell him it was free. However, her business couldn't survive that, and Leon wouldn't have it that way either. She knew him too well.

" _34,900,000 credits."_

Eri blanched at that. There was no way Leon could afford that. He flew a Diamondback, he dressed sensibly, and he was good-natured.

Leon turned towards Marie, a small frown on his face. "Marie, we've talked about this. How much is it _really?_ "

Marie huffed, crossing her arms and turning away. _"What, do you not trust me anymore?"_

Leon stood, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You know I trust you, but even I know that's nowhere near the right price."

Eri could feel knots twisting in her gut. Was she going to be the reason the friendship between these two broke down? Over a dress? She opened her mouth to speak, but Marie's words came first.

" _You damn stubborn man. Fine. 46,350,000. Not a credit more or else I'll bite you again."_

Eri's world stopped. Marie was trying to down-sell the dress? Huh?

Leon smiled again. "Alright. Go ahead and re-allocate the funds. But don't try putting them back. You know what I'll do if I find out you did."

" _Promise?"_ Marie asked, a small, cute pout on her face.

Eri realized that she might've read the relationship between the two of them wrong. Very wrong.

* * *

The walk back to **Fool's Gold** was a quiet one. Eri didn't know what to make of Leon and Marie, or the fact that Leon was able to afford the dress she was wearing underneath her new flight suit, which was able to collapse and feel just fine under the suit. How was it he could afford the dress when he flew a _Diamondback_ of all ships? Then again, he also had an Imperial Nanoblade. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Leon Caelum.

Eri stopped in the middle of the street suddenly. "This dress was too much." She said, not meeting Leon's eyes.

"Actually it was too little, but I didn't want to argue with Marie about it for three hours."

Eri clenched her hands into fists. "It was _too much._ You didn't need to get me this. I would've been fine with normal clothes. Even the reward money for returning me won't cover that all."

Leon tilted his head to the side. "I don't need to do a lot of the things that I do. I choose to do them because I want to. I'm not doing this for the money, anyways. It's just the right thing to do."

"Why?" Eri asked with a small, unsure voice.

"Why? I'll answer that question with a different question: Why not?"

Leon sighed, seeing his answer didn't satisfy Eri in the least. Rubbing his neck, he explained. "Listen, Eri, the dress really wasn't that big of a deal. Money isn't a big deal to me. I have my ship, and I have my freedom. Everything else is just.. extra. Stuff. Things. _Freedom_ matters. _Honor_ matters. _Friends_ matter. But not money."

Eri couldn't understand Leon. He was clearly from the Federation. Money controlled everything in the galaxy, but more so in the Federation than in the Empire, and honor wasn't something the Federation was well-versed in. But he placed honor over money despite being an independent Commander, most of which were assumed to be little better than thugs by the Empire.

Their conversation was cut short as a loud, blaring sound could be heard. Leon's eyes widened. That was an alarm that was rarely heard, which was the signal for people to get to shelters that doubled as escape pods. What was happening?

Leon grabbed Eri by the hand and pulled her along quickly towards the hanger where **Fool's Gold** was docked. However, her smaller legs meant she couldn't keep up so well, so he picked her up bridal style and ran instead. To her credit, the panic around them and sense of danger kept her from blushing.

"What's going on?!"

A grimace met Leon's face. "That alarm means there's a high-level threat outside of the starport."

Eri's eyes widened. "What about the System Defense Forces? What about the starport's defenses?"

Leon shook his head, carefully making his way quickly through the crowds of people pouring out in the opposite direction. "That alarm means it's a bigger threat than they can handle. Whatever it is, the safest place for us is back on the ship. If they start lighting up the starport, we'll have a better chance of survival trying to escape in a ship rather than a pod."

Eri squeezed her eyes shut. It was happening again. The people around her were going to die. Again. Leon and Marie were going to die, all because of-

" _Well there's a sight to behold."_

Eri opened her eyes to see Marie there in a black flight suit, a small smile on her face.

"You still have that Cobra?" Leon asked, walking past her into the hanger.

" _You know I'd never let go of my **Dáinsleif**." _Marie replied, walking behind them at a quick pace.

Leon nodded, setting Eri down. "Take Eri with you, then. Unless something's changed, **Dáinsleif** is the quickest ship around here. If things start exploding, I want you two out of here. Wait until I leave the mailslot first."

"What? No, I-" Eri's words stopped when Marie covered her mouth with her hand.

" _Got it, Boss. The usual rendezvous point?"_

Leon nodded again. "Go. I've got a call to make."

* * *

After making a few calls, Leon found out what the cause of the alarm was. Outside of Bierce Gateway was an entire fleet of ships, each with the same name: **Hydra**. At first, Leon thought the reason they're there is because of his escape from one of their members, but he discarded that immediately. That's not enough reason to put out a black-market bounty, much less assemble a whole fleet.

Then, he received a call of his own, from Marie.

"It's Hydra. I don't know why they're here, but they have a whole fleet outside the station. A few dozen Vultures and Eagles, several FDLs, a couple of Anacondas, and even a goddamn Federal Corvette. They haven't fired so System Defense can't do anything about it yet, and they're just beyond the no-fire zone anyways."

" _I know why they're here, Boss. It's Eri. Her kidnappers-"_

"-were Hydra. Damn. How did they find her here? Were we sold out?" Leon clenched his hands into fists. Hydra didn't know when to let go. They were one of the biggest pirate groups in the bubble.

Shifting over the call could be heard, and then Leon heard Eri's emotional, nerve-wracked voice. _"Leon! When they first kidnapped me, after I woke up they told me that even if I escaped they could track me because they implanted me with a subspace transmitter! I'm sorry! I thought they were lying, but-"_

"Easy, Eri. Calm down. They're not going to get their hands on you again. I promise. Marie, I've got to make another call to sort this situation out. It won't be long before Hydra makes their demands. Bierce won't sell us out, but pirates have other ways of getting what they want. Keep Eri calm until then, okay?" Leon said, trying to calm Eri down.

" _Rodger that, Boss."_ She said before ending the call.

Leon quickly went through his contact list before finding what he was looking for. Pressing the button to make the call, it wasn't three rings before an older man's voice could be heard on the other line.

" _Leon, good to hear from you. How's life as an independent Commander treating you?"_

"Alpha Charlie Gulf, 1-7." Leon replied. A buzzing sound could be heard from the other end of the call for a short second before it stopped.

" _Rodger that, Leon. Go for secure."_

"It was going well until about thirty minutes ago, Sir. Hydra is at the doorstep of Bierce Gateway out here in Payayan. They're after some precious cargo of mine that I've promised to deliver safe and sound."

There was a small bit of silence before the man at the other end of the call spoke. _"Leon, you know I'd do just about anything for you, but Payayan is Independent space. Even I can't go there without a reason, unless that cargo of yours is mighty important."_

Leon didn't hesitate to tell his former Commanding Officer about what the cargo was. Petyr Gabriel was a good man. "The cargo is a girl. Eridani Duval. She was a stowaway on my ship when I learned her story. Killed a few of Hydra's men and left Morgor. Didn't know they had a subspace transmitter in her, otherwise I would've seen to that first."

" _The Imperial Princess that went missing? Leon, you really do know how to find trouble. If we intercede in this and Hydra leaks who they're after, the Empire will think we're her kidnappers after we dispose of Hydra. Political tensions are at an all-time high right now. I don't need to tell you that one wrong step and we might have another war on our hands. The Empire will do anything for its royalty."_

"I know. However, I have it on good authority that one of Hydra's Commanders is in possession of Federal property and are using it in a manner that violates Section 24 of the Codex. Specifically using it for pirating without a privateer's permit and hostile intent towards a neutral station, starport, or populous in general. It's outside Bierce right now, probably their flagship and the highest ranking of the group." Leon replied, a wolfish grin on his face.

Very few Commanders were able to purchase Federal or Imperial ships, and among them the Federal Corvette was the most restricted. Only those who have been in service with spectacular performance and adherence to their duty to the Federal Navy, or the Auxiliary were able to fly their own Federal Corvette. Whoever was in charge of the one outside Bierce likely didn't come by it legally.

" _There were a few thefts almost a year ago that we're still looking into of a few Corvettes. We've tracked down all but three.. Payayan, you say?"_ Leon could hear Admiral Gabriel's tone change to something familiar. Like him, his former CO was a bit of a wild card and loved a good fight. Especially against pirates.

"That's right. Payayan, Bierce Gateway. They're just outside the no-fire zone in front of the mailslot, but I imagine they've got sentries around the station as well. No active hostility, but I doubt it will be more than two days before there is."

" _Well then, I suppose a surprise party is in order. See you soon, Leon. Gabriel out."_

The call ended. Leon smirked. He always loved fighting pirates. Still, he had one last call to make. Scrolling through his contacts, he found who he was looking for and dialed.

" _Leon? What's the situation?"_ Came Marie's voice through the call.

"I've made some arrangements, but things might get a little hairy. Tell me, do you still own that old Sidewinder?"

" _Yeah, it's in hanger 13-B. Why?"_

Leon paused, opening the locker behind the pilot's chair revealing a full set of Federal Marine combat armor, fully equipped with personal EVA technology. "Because there's a surprise party I'd like to throw for our friends and I think it would make a nice gift."

* * *

 **A/N: I've enjoyed writing this chapter. Marie particularly has a great backstory that we'll be getting into later in the story, but she's one character of many that are going to be fully fleshed-out and have lasting impacts upon Leon and Eri. Please feel free to write a review, and thank you for reading.**


	3. II: Boarding

**.**

 **Elite Dangerous: Gemini**

 **Chapter II: Boarding**

 **July 19th, 3301 A.D**

 **Payayan System**

Leon, fully suited up in his ICARUS combat armor, whispered an unheard apology to Marie for what he was about to do to her Sidewinder. It was what she'd experiment on to figure out what would and wouldn't work with her _**Dáinsleif,**_ constantly pushing the limits of what was possible. If she didn't already have a thriving business, she'd make a fine private Engineer.

Opening a storage pocket on his armor, he withdrew several small, thin-packed packets of plastic explosive. From a storage pocket just under that, he withdrew a small, thin coil of detcord. Looking up up at the canopy covering the cockpit of the Sidewinder, he focused on all the faces of the people he cared about within his mind, steeling himself for what was to come and giving himself a reason to come back alive from what he was about to do for the second time.

At first, it was cute to watch the young Imperial Princess pace back and forth, but Marie soon realized she was more worried than she should have been because she didn't know very much about Leon other than his unusual generosity.

* * *

" _Eri, if you keep pacing, you're going to wear a hole through my ship."_ Marie said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work. Instead, Eri stopped and sank to her knees, holding them close to her. Marie stepped out of the Commander's chair and sat next to the girl.

" _What has Leon told you about himself, Eri?"_ Eri looked up to her, a mix of emotions on her face.

"Not much. He has an Imperial Nanoblade, but doesn't seem to be royalty. He seems to know how to use it, though. He flies a ship that doesn't represent how much money he apparently has. But he's kind. He saved me. He also took me to a 'Mexican' restaurant and showed me food I hadn't ever had before, but he hasn't said much about himself."

Marie let out a laugh. _"No, I can't imagine he did. He doesn't bring up his past unless someone asks. Believe it or not, because I know you've probably gotten a bad impression due to who you are, but Leon was a Federal Marine."_

Eri's eyes widened. Leon was a Fed? But.. They were supposed to be barbarians. Animals. Corporate-sponsored, profit-driven war machines who didn't have an ounce of kindness within them. Was the Nanoblade a trophy? No, that didn't seem like Leon, to take a war trophy.

Eri's thoughts were interrupted as Marie went on after enjoying the look of shock on Eri's face. _"I won't go too deep into the mystery that is Leon Caelum, since it's mostly his story to tell. But I can tell you about how he and I met. You see, I was the 'plaything' of a Warlord on a planet called Delarin. That man is the reason I have to use these,"_ She paused, tapping the micro-speakers attached to her neck.

" _He had my vocal cords cut so I'd stop yelling at him whenever I saw him. I wanted nothing more than to escape, and one day an explosion rocked the building, and I managed to escape in the chaos. Federal Marines were conducting a raid of all the warlords in the system. I knew I didn't have anything left to go home to on the planet, so I stowed away on one of the Dropships that were landed nearby. As it happened, that was Leon's ship. I managed to stay hidden in the cargo bay for almost two days before I got hungry enough to risk finding some food. Leon caught me trying to sneak into the food storage."_

This surprised Eri. Marie was a stowaway like she was on one of Leon's ships?

" _I was so scared because he was in his combat armor I couldn't move. I thought 'This is it. I escaped one monster to end up in the lair of another', but he just took off his helmet and asked me if I was hungry. I couldn't speak yet, of course, and at the time I couldn't write or read, either, since before I was 'taken in', I grew up in a poor village as a farmgirl. But he fed me anyways. Clothed me. Introduced me to the crew. All while he could've just spaced me, or hurt me, or took me back to a place where I had nowhere to go."_

" _Then, he taught me things. How to read and write. He got me my voice back,"_ Marie unconsciously caressed the micro-speakers on her neck. _"After about half a year, I started helping out around the ship. The crew was nice to me. Everyone got along just fine, and all that time Leon was in command of this small fleet that was leading raids on pirates and warlords, because 'it was the right thing to do', as he said."_

"How'd you end up on Bierce with your own business?" Eri asked, not realizing it was actually a sore subject for Marie.

" _I.. Leon received transfer orders one day sending him to one of the Federation's main fleets to command a Corvette's contingent of Marines during battle, since he was a natural leader and all that. He couldn't take me with him, so he set me up with a home in a place he knew would be safe. I was too young to enlist myself at the time. So I didn't have a choice."_

"Oh.. I'm sorry. That must have been hard."

Marie let out a small, sad laugh. _"Oh Eri, you have no idea."_

"What do you mean?" Eri asked. She might not have had as close a relationship to Leon, but she was in a similar position.

Marie stiffened, realizing she'd said something she shouldn't have. _"Nothing, dear. Forget I said anything."_ This time, it was Marie who brought her knees up to her chest, remembering a pain she'd been trying to bury for years. But Eri wouldn't forget it.

Before she could press for information, alarms sounded through Bierce Gateway once again.

* * *

The Commander of the Hydra forces stationed outside of Bierce Gateway checked the clock. They'd sent their demands to the leaders of Bierce, and the deadline for a response was almost there. Pulling out a small device, he pressed a button and a screen popped up. He smirked. Their target was still on the station.

He didn't know how she managed to get away from her captors, but he _did_ know that she wouldn't be doing it again. Their employers had big plans for her, and their pay was going to be incredible. Though, if they failed, their punishment would also likely be just as severe. People with pockets that deep and smart enough to use cut-outs of cut-outs to make contact were dangerous and well-connected.

It had been easy enough to blow the girl's ship out of the water. They'd been given the exact time, date, and location of the small escort. However, they didn't expect her to be quite so.. defiant. She'd bitten quite a few of his comrades and yelled obscenities until they drugged her to get her to sleep. Not many Imperials had that kind of fire. Most would wait calmly as their government would almost always pay for their safe return, since it was only really royalty who would be targeted.

However, their job wasn't going that direction. Their employers didn't want the girl going back to the Empire, or running to the Federation. He didn't know what they were going to do with her, but he doubted it was for anything they'd usually be commissioned for. Not at the pay they were getting. No, she was important for some reason.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as a warning alarm sounded on the bridge.

" _ **Warning, Capital-class signature detected. Warning, Capital-class signature detected."**_ The terrifying, familiar foghorn sound of Capital-class ships could be heard exiting witch-space, a kind of black, electrified fog signaling where they would exit.

"What?!"

Moments later, two massive ships could be seen drifting out of these witch-space tears. Two Farragut Battle Cruisers. Almost immediately afterwards, the Farraguts opened fire on Hydra and unleashed a swarm of F63 Condors.

Onboard Bierce Gateway, the Sidewinder's rudimentary computer system warned Leon of the arrival of two Capital-class ships, and the arrival of Petyr Gabriel. One of the Federation's best conductors of fleet warfare. He let out a dark chuckle as he disengaged the docking clamps and prepared to take off.

* * *

Admiral Petyr Gabriel stood in the Bridge of his Farragut Battlecruiser, watching as dozens of F63 Condors left their bays and began their usual job of harassing the enemy in a chaotic yet also orderly formation. About half of the defense turrets became active to prevent any pirate from getting too close, and with Hydra boxed in between them and Bierce Gateway, he was able to quickly establish a kind of net to prevent any members of Hydra from escaping.

Moments later, several other ships warped in from behind them, revealing various Federal Gunships, Assault Ships, and even a couple of Corvettes that made up a part of the fleet Petyr Gabriel was in command of. They quickly filled in the gaps that otherwise would be weakpoints, ensuring that their net was as strong as possible. On a sub-screen, an image of a Corvette that wasn't theirs popped up.

"There it is. Relay a message to all ships: Do not engage Hydra's Corvette. I repeat, do _not_ engage Hydra's Corvette." The Admiral said.

"Rodger that, Admiral. Message away. Wait – I'm getting something strange on my sensors. I'll pull it up now."

Then, the image of the Corvette was replaced with one of a Sidewinder that seemed to be somewhat modified. However, it didn't have any weapons deployed. "Sir, their IFF is reading as friendly. Did they hack into our system expecting us not to notice?"

Petyr shook his head. "That's one of ours, Yeoman. Don't worry about him."

"But sir, he's in a _Sidewinder._ With no weapons. What is he going to do?"

Before Petyr could respond, the video feed showed the canopy blowing out and a man in armor using EVA to float his way gently out of the front of the ship. A mile-wide smirk met Petyr's face. "Something nobody else can, Yeoman. That's what he's going to do."

* * *

Leon exited the mailslot _much_ faster than regulation speeds usually permitted, his friend-or-foe tag lighting up green on all Federal-aligned ships' radars. The battle between Admiral Gabriel's forces and Hydra was almost 17 kilometers from the station, giving him plenty room to get things right. Flipping a custom-installed switch on the throttle, the little Sidewinder's speed increased further, hitting nearly 400 meters a second. It was, after all, Marie's test bed for her _**Dáinsleif.**_ It had plenty of power to get him into position fast enough.

Though, because it was her test bed, not everything functioned how it should have. The inertial dampeners, for example. Though his powered combat armor was doing its best, he could tell if he were in a basic flight suit he'd be having some problems properly controlling the ship. It wasn't set up for complex maneuvers. Just straight-line, high-speed sprints.

Coming into range, he could see Hydra's ships swarming the Farragut, but to little avail. Not only were Farraguts designed for exactly this kind of combat, but his former CO was a genius when it came to fleet battles. He was like a director of a symphony in the way his forces were coordinated. His men trusted him and his calls to the fullest extent, and in return he trusted them. That's why the Federal Corvette went unmolested as Hydra's flagship attempted to command the mishmash of ships it had at its disposal. Because Petyr trusted Leon, and Leon trusted Petyr.

Just over three kilometers out, Leon slowed the Sidewinder to 300 meters a second. Just fast enough to get the job done, but just slow enough to not kill him. He lined up with the very nose of Hydra's Corvette, knowing it wouldn't be moving any time soon. Not while it continued to be left alone and his forces seemingly were at a stalemate. Leon smirked and pressed a button on the remote magnetically attached to his belt. Small explosives planted around the canopy's frame detonated, obliterating the canopy from existence, but maintaining all the structural integrity. The Remlok system within his ICARUS combat armor activated and oxygen continued to flow to his brain. He'd need it for what came next.

Two kilometers out. Acting quickly, Leon pressed the little blue button on the throttle, activating the Frame Shift Drive and jumped from his seat, using the EVA capabilities of his armor to guide him gracefully out of the ship, locking his magnetic boots onto the front of the Sidewinder temporarily as an internal clock counted down. Normally, there was a five second window after a Frame Shift Drive was charged up before it entered what was referred to as 'witchspace', but one of the modifications he made was increasing that timer to ten seconds. Just long enough to get close.

One kilometer out. Leon released the magnetic boots and jumped, engaging the bottom-facing EVA thrusters just enough to get him out of range of the 'bubble' created by the Frame Shift Drive, keeping his momentum of 300 meters a second heading towards the nose of the Corvette. A wolfish grin appeared on his face as the countdown hit zero and the Sidewinder's FSD engaged.

"Checkmate."

* * *

"Sir? There's a ship heading right towards us. It's a Sidewinder. No hardpoints, but it's coming fast."

The Commander of the Corvette scoffed. Even as a battering ram, a Sidewinder couldn't bring down the Corvette's shields. "Ignore it. It can't hurt us."

".. Sir? It's.. It's picking up speed. A lot of speed."

"I said ignore it! It can't hurt us!" The Commander yelled, frustrated his forces couldn't force the Federals out of the system or make any real headway in the battle.

Seconds later, an explosion rocked the ship, and the nose of the Corvette disintegrated from a combination of a fast, large impact and the very nature of the FSD on the object that hit them, which erases all foreign matter not within the 'bubble' surrounding it with extreme prejudice.

Over the sound of various alarms and venting atmosphere, the Commander could be heard yelling, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

* * *

Leon couldn't take any time to admire his handiwork as the nose of the Corvette disappeared. Instead, he had to slow down, fully engaging his EVA thrusters to slow his speed to something more manageable. Something that wouldn't kill him on impact. However, he didn't have to worry about alignment. Slowing to almost 30 meters a second, he engaged his magnetic boots and dropped right into the now-open nose of the ship, his powered armor absorbing the rest of the impact that would otherwise cause severe pain and injury. Reaching over his shoulder, he grabbed his trusty rifle and advanced towards the elevator that would take him to the bridge.

Behind him, a bulkhead closed, sealing off the loss of any more atmosphere. The door in front of him opened to show two lightly-armored men who were obviously sent to assess the damage to the ship. Two quick, accurate shots erased the chance of them reporting back, the powerful rounds from Leon's X1A rifle ripping through their chest cavities and leaving behind big, gaping holes. It was like their armor simply didn't exist. Especially at such close range.

Continuing his advance, Leon cleared each room he passed, ensuring nobody would sneak up on him. Three more people who were scrambling for their armor and weapons were found at the door closest to the elevator. Three more bodies. Approaching the elevator, Leon slammed the button, calling the it back down. From the adjacent room, he could hear radios asking what was taking so long.

As the elevator approached, he changed magazines quickly, ensuring he'd be ready for whatever was on the bridge of the ship. Just as he pulled back the charging handle and it flew forward after releasing it, the two sliding doors opened to reveal two more men. This time, they were more prepared, their weapons already up and ready.

Not ready enough, however. Before they could react to the massive figure before them, one of them already had Leon's nanoblade sword shoved into his skull through the bottom of his jaw. The second one turned slightly to shoot, but the his initial shock was all Leon needed to capitalize on the moment, pressing the button to withdraw the nanoblade sword quickly and re-deploying it while it was angled upwards when pressed against the man's side, slicing through the armor, past both intestines, piercing the man's heart and poking a hole through the man's lungs before coming out the other side, a single drop of blood dripping onto the vented metal floor below from the very tip of the blade.

Before the elevator door could close, he withdrew his sword, retracting it once more into the hilt with the press of a button, and entered the elevator. Though the facemask of his helmet was blacked out, if someone could see his face, they'd see a vicious, wolf-like grin on his face.

* * *

A live feed of the battle was displayed across every screen on Bierce Gateway, including ones within ships currently docked. The footage had gone live minutes before the Federal forces arrived, and when they did, it was a surprise to almost everyone. Almost.

Then, a separate feed in the corner appeared of a small ship leaving the mailslot at a high speed. One look from Marie told Eri that it was Leon on that ship, making her nervous. Though, Marie didn't seem to be all that worried.

"What is he doing? Is he going to be okay?"

Marie patted the girl's head. _"Don't worry. This isn't the first time Leon has fought against Pirates."_

However, Eri couldn't help but worry. Leon had become her rock. Her light shining in the dark. If he died..

" _Just sit back and watch Leon work, Eri. Worrying won't help anything."_

Then, the main screen was overtaken by the feed of the Sidewinder, the cockpit seemingly having been blown out. However, a figure drifted out of the cockpit and stood on the nose of the ship, standing tall and calm. The little Sidewinder began exhibiting signs of FSD activation and Marie couldn't help but chuckle. Eri's attention remained on the screen.

Seconds later, the figure kicked off from the Sidewinder and the ship disappeared in a flash of light. But it didn't go alone, as the entire front of the Corvette it was heading towards was taken with it, getting sucked into the 'witch-space draft', which was always a nightmare, a campfire story of something so incredibly dangerous and terrifying that it had only been heard of in those stories. Until now. Even Marie wasn't expecting that.

" _Holy shit."_

* * *

Onboard the Corvette, the elevator doors on the bridge opened. The Commander of Hydra's forces turned, expecting to see his men ready to report the damage, but instead was met with a view of a giant in combat armor. He opened his mouth to yell, to command the others left on the bridge to shoot at the intruder, but before he could the only two other people in the bridge suddenly had holes in them and were slumped over in their seats.

The two gunshots were so loud in the confined space that he'd gone temporarily deaf. All he could hear was an intense ringing sound. He couldn't hear the intruder's commands. It sounded like he was speaking through a thick door while being under water. He saw the man shrug before bringing a large fist up. Then, darkness enveloped him.

Leon sighed as the Commander dropped onto the floor. Not wasting any more time, he went over to the main communication console and pressed the button to address an open, broad-range voice frequency he was sure everyone in the vicinity would hear.

"This is independent Commander Leon Caelum, addressing all Hydra vessals. I've disabled your flagship, killed your soldiers, and taken your Commander prisoner. You've lost. Surrender or die."

Almost immediately the Hydra forces were sent into disarray. Without a Commander, they were just a bunch of pirates. Well-equipped Pirates, but that was it. No organization. No ability to work together in the event that something like this happen.

That's when Petyr Gabriel made his move. Instead of merely defending, he went on the attack. Swarms of highly-coordinated F63 Condors assaulted the Pirates, making fast hit-and-run attacks that made it impossible to track a single target. The primary defense turrets on the Farragut Battle Cruisers opened up and laid waste to all those who dared to stay in the vicinity, while several small groups of F63s hunted down those who tried to escape. The Gunships, Assault Ships, and Federal Corvettes closed all the other gaps that Hydra otherwise might try to flee to. Very few were smart enough to disengage their hardpoints and await a boarding party.

Back onboard Bierce Gateway, both Eri and Marie cheered.

* * *

Almost six hours later, Leon introduced Eri to his former Commanding Officer, choosing to do so within Marie's shop where Leon knew they wouldn't be recorded. The Admiral's men had been instructed to wait outside.

"Eri, this is Petyr Gabriel, Admiral of the Federal Navy and Commander of the 5th Fleet. He's also a friend of mine. Sir, this is Eridani Duval, Imperial Princess."

Eri was nervous to be in the presence of a Federal Admiral, but she was shocked to see him offer her a bow of respect. "Pleasure to meet you, Princess. You have beautiful red hair and eyes. Quite rare for an Imperial."

"Oh! Uh.. Thank you, Admiral."

Leon smiled at the awkwardness she was experiencing. Not many Imperials expected much from Feds. Especially not _that._ Petyr was right, though. Most Imperials kept away from gene modding, and red eyes were a dead giveaway. Red hair not so much, but Eri's hair was a bit _too_ perfectly colored to be completely natural. Still, he'd arranged for a meeting for a reason and filed that information away for a later date. "Sir, while we have the time I'd like to talk about this mess we just mopped up. For some reason Hydra is after Eri, and while I intend on getting her home safe and sound, apparently Hydra is tracking her via subspace transmitter."

Petyr rubbed his grey, bearded chin thoughtfully. "I can lend you our best doctor to get it extracted, but something about Hydra going after young Eri here doesn't feel right. They're taking an awfully large risk for a single payout."

Beside Leon, Eri started to look uncomfortable. Leon reached over and grabbed something from the counter and handed it to Petyr "This is what seems to be tracking her. No corporate markings, and when I tried jamming the signal, it actually became amplified. This screams of stolen, classified tech to me. Might be worth looking into."

The older man nodded. "I'll send for you two once I get finished up here to get that transmitter out," He paused, grabbing Leon by the forearm. "It was damn good watching you work again, Leon. I missed seeing that kind of passion. If you ever want to come back, you know you always have a home onboard my ship."

Leon simply shook his head. "Sorry, sir. I've started to enjoy the life of an independent Commander. Less politics and red tape stopping me from doing what is right."

This time, Petyr shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "It was downright unfair what Vincent tried to pull. Everyone knows that. Still, I'm glad you're happy. Could we talk outside a bit?"

Leon looked to Eri, who had a nervous look on her face still. He smiled. "I'll be right back."

Stepping outside, Petyr's demeanor changed. He dismissed his guards, instructing them to wait back at the ship. He turned to Leon, a thoughtful frown on his face. Though information control had been established since he first boarded the station, it was best to remain vague. "Leon, this tech isn't just classified," He started, patting the jacket pocket where the tracker was safely stored away from prying eyes. "It's completely black. No records, no traces. The people who do know about it outside of the people who developed it could be counted on two hands until today. I don't know how Hydra got this, but that girl? She's important for some reason. Whatever is going on is bigger than anything you've ever dealt with. Be careful, son."

Leon nodded. He didn't know what exactly Petyr was trying to say without saying, but he got the gist of it. It wasn't just Hydra who was after Eri.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter is a bit later than it should have been, but there was a scene that didn't quite come together how I wanted it to, so I rewrote it a couple of times until I was content with it. Anyways, we got to see a bit into Leon's backstory with Marie and got to see Leon in action doing some wild, crazy shit. As always, please feel free to write a review, and thank you for reading.**


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